Island Life Magazine Ltd April/May 2012 | Page 113

GARDENING

plan is always to do this before
the buds break. Then give them a
good feed as the buds and fruits
need nitrogen and potassium for
development. Follow this up with
an organic mulch around the base
especially for younger trees.
Other tasks around the gardens
have been removing the dead
herbaceous growth from last
season. We undertook the first
grass cut and edge of the year,
being careful not to cut too low to
avoid scalping the lawn.
It’s best to cut high, and then
gradually lower your cut to the
desired height over the coming
weeks. Our roses are having a
thorough prune too, pruning out
any dead stems or weak shoots and
pruning the main stems down to
good healthy buds. The roses are
then fed with a good granular rose
feed, watered in, followed by an
organic mulch around the base.
Over on the walled garden

vegetable plot, we dusted off our
old faithful Howard Gem rotavator
and with a bit of repair, it was
being put through its paces again.
After being cultivated for such a
long time, the soil here really is
very good.
Drawing up, sowing and growing
our herbs and vegetables is well
under way. Working alongside
our Land Usage Scheme partners,
John’s Club and Southern Housing,
we have unified the interesting
crop list (including heritage
varieties) so we will be able to grow
more efficiently.
Elsewhere on the estate, we
celebrated with the Isle of Wight
Beekeeping Association on the
opening of their teaching apiary
at Quarr and we have had eight
new arrivals in the form of multi
coloured, spotted piglets. At only
three weeks old they are busy
exploring every inch of their
enclosure.
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